What's with small primer 45"s?

mrerick · 01-05-2021, 10:35 AM

I routinely recycle range brass from my club. For the past several years, I've found small primer .45ACP brass regularly salting my "take" from "brass ratting".

At first, with disgust, I discarded them. It requires close inspection during sorting and cleaning, and again during actual reloading in case I missed one. My miss rate is probably under 1 percent.

About 2 years ago, I started holding onto them (I've probably got 300 or 400 right now). Why? Because of the potential for market demand like we've seen in the past year, and the possibility of running out of large pistol primers.

just finished reloading several thousand rounds of pistol ammo in 9mm, .40 S&W, .45acp and .38 special. This time of winter is my favorite for reloading ammo which then usually lasts the rest of the year.

My brass is, thankfully, free from our club range. I routinely stock primers, powder and bullets - and try to buy in bulk when supplies are in surplus in between the social panic runs.

I teach reloading every August for our club. NRA Certified courses. and have been reasonably well equipped for more than a decade, but this past year decided to buy one of the rotary tumblers that uses wet stainless steel pins. This process makes the brass look like it just left the factory - and is well worth using. This requires an extra step to size and decap brass prior to cleaning, but then even the primer pockets shine.

When I get a full load (500 or so) I'll run the small primer .45acp through the process. Until then, I have still got enough large pistol primers...

01-05-2021, 10:35 AM	#4
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,925 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,139 Times in 1,520 Posts	I routinely recycle range brass from my club. For the past several years, I've found small primer .45ACP brass regularly salting my "take" from "brass ratting". At first, with disgust, I discarded them. It requires close inspection during sorting and cleaning, and again during actual reloading in case I missed one. My miss rate is probably under 1 percent. About 2 years ago, I started holding onto them (I've probably got 300 or 400 right now). Why? Because of the potential for market demand like we've seen in the past year, and the possibility of running out of large pistol primers. just finished reloading several thousand rounds of pistol ammo in 9mm, .40 S&W, .45acp and .38 special. This time of winter is my favorite for reloading ammo which then usually lasts the rest of the year. My brass is, thankfully, free from our club range. I routinely stock primers, powder and bullets - and try to buy in bulk when supplies are in surplus in between the social panic runs. I teach reloading every August for our club. NRA Certified courses. and have been reasonably well equipped for more than a decade, but this past year decided to buy one of the rotary tumblers that uses wet stainless steel pins. This process makes the brass look like it just left the factory - and is well worth using. This requires an extra step to size and decap brass prior to cleaning, but then even the primer pockets shine. When I get a full load (500 or so) I'll run the small primer .45acp through the process. Until then, I have still got enough large pistol primers... __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.